Spitfire Reports 71,793 Cyber Attack Attempts in 24 Hours

Severity: Medium (Score: 48.9)

Sources: Securitybrief, Channellife

Summary

Spitfire Network Services launched a live cyber attack map after recording 71,793 attack attempts against a single public IP address over 24 hours. The tracker, based on a honeypot system, reveals the frequency of automated attacks targeting publicly accessible addresses. Spitfire's data indicates an average of 1,978 attacks per hour and 27 attacks per minute. While the attacks are geographically broken down, the true origin may be masked by the use of temporary virtual machines. The company emphasizes that organizations with public-facing IP addresses are at constant risk of being probed for vulnerabilities. Harry Bowlby, Managing Director of Spitfire, stated that the tool aims to raise awareness of the persistent threat posed by cyber attackers. The attacks predominantly appear to originate from the US, although this may not reflect the actual attackers' locations. The map serves to highlight the risks associated with exposed devices and the potential for attackers to infiltrate wider networks. Spitfire has been operational for 35 years and provides various connectivity services. Key Points: • Spitfire recorded 71,793 cyber attack attempts in just 24 hours. • The attacks are primarily automated scans targeting vulnerabilities in public IP addresses. • The tracker aims to raise awareness about the constant threat faced by organizations online.

Key Entities

• Ransomware (attack_type)